Latest news with #MatthewChapman
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Missing British tourist's last movements before disappearing in Catalonia
Matthew Chapman, 24, was reported missing on April 30 after he left the UK in a van, which was later found abandoned near Tossa de Mar, 60 miles north of Barcelona The last moments of a British tourist's disappearance have been mapped before he vanished in Catalonia. Matthew Chapman, 24, from Doncaster, was reported missing on April 30 after he departed Manchester in a van, which was later found abandoned near Tossa de Mar, 60 miles north of Barcelona. A two-day search and rescue mission was launched for the missing Brit involving drones and a helicopter, but it was called off late on Thursday after they were unable to find Mr Chapman. Heartbroken parents, Jane and Andrew Chapman, initially believed their son was sleeping in his van. Jane said: 'We thought he was sleeping in his van, so that's caused more angst. We were in the hope that he was just touring Europe and that when he ran out of money, he'd be a bit sheepish and get back in touch with his tail between his legs. That's what we were hoping for.' She said the family has not had any correspondence from the Spanish police following his disappearance, she told The Times. Local authorities confirmed the missing Brit had travelled to France via the the Channel Tunnel on May 1 before spending time in Portugal and Spain. His mobile phone lost signal near Tossa de Mar, police added. A spokesperson for the Catalan police force confirmed a two-day search had been carried out: 'It was a land, sea and air search which took place on Wednesday and Thursday. "The investigation into the missing man's whereabouts is continuing." Worried Jane said she had been given "no indication" anything was wrong with her son, who had run a car valet business since 18, before his disappearance. She added: "He's never been in trouble, he's always had a positive outlook on things. "Even if he didn't feel he could come to us with any of his troubles, there were so many other people he could have reached out to. 'We've had so many of his customers either directly or indirectly get in contact saying they are concerned about him. "He's a likeable lad, he's very polite. Even within this little estate, the older ladies treat him like a surrogate grandson — that's how he's always been." Local media had claimed Mr Chapman might have run into financial difficulties with his business. However, his parents said it seemed 'he was doing alright' and 'always seemed to be busy'. Dad Andrew Chapman said his disappearance was not planned "because he had people booked in" for the valet service. Jane is hopeful that her son will make contact: "But it gets harder to say, 'I need help', the longer things go on".
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Family issue plea for Brit, 24, who vanished while travelling in Spain as his van found abandoned after driving from UK
FIND MATTHEW Family issue plea for Brit, 24, who vanished while travelling in Spain as his van found abandoned after driving from UK Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE parents of a missing Brit say they have had "no contact" with Spanish police who called off their search last week. Matthew Chapman, 24, from Doncaster, vanished near the popular resort of Tossa de Mar in Catalonia. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Matthew Chapman, 24, was reported missing on April 30 Matthew's family began to feel concerned when he failed to pick up his brother-in-law to take him to work. The 24-year-old was reported missing on April 30. Matthew left the UK in a van, which has been found abandoned and empty at a viewpoint, near Tossa de Mar, 60 miles north of Barcelona. Police and firefighters launched a two-day search involving a helicopter and drones last week before calling the operation off late on Thursday. His anxious parents, Jane and Andrew Chapman, say they have not had any contact with local investigators. They also say South Yorkshire police, who have been supporting them since early May, did not inform them of the search. Mum Jane Chapman said: 'We thought he was sleeping in his van, so that's caused more angst. "We were in the hope that he was just touring Europe and that when he ran out of money he'd be a bit sheepish and get back in touch with his tail between his legs. That's what we were hoping for.' She added: 'I haven't had any correspondence from the Spanish police at all. I hope they won't leave any stone unturned.'
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Family issue plea for Brit, 24, who vanished while travelling in Spain as his van found abandoned after driving from UK
THE parents of a missing Brit say they have had "no contact" with Spanish police who called off their search last week. Matthew Chapman, 24, from Doncaster, Advertisement 2 Matthew Chapman, 24, was reported missing on April 30 Matthew's family began to feel concerned when he failed to pick up his brother-in-law to take him to work. The 24-year-old was reported missing on April 30. Matthew left the UK in a van, which has been found abandoned and empty at a viewpoint, near Tossa de Mar, 60 miles north of Barcelona. Police and firefighters launched a two-day search involving a helicopter and drones last week before calling the operation off late on Thursday. Advertisement His anxious parents, Jane and Andrew Chapman, say they have not had any contact with local investigators. They also say South Yorkshire police, who have been supporting them since early May, did not inform them of the search. Mum Jane Chapman said: 'We thought he was sleeping in his van, so that's caused more angst. "We were in the hope that he was just touring Europe and that when he ran out of money he'd be a bit sheepish and get back in touch with his tail between his legs. That's what we were hoping for.' Advertisement Most read in The Sun She added: 'I haven't had any correspondence from the Spanish police at all. I hope they won't leave any stone unturned.' 2 The Brit vanished after visiting Costa Brava, Spain Credit: Getty
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
Family issue plea for Brit, 24, who vanished while travelling in Spain as his van found abandoned after driving from UK
THE parents of a missing Brit say they have had "no contact" with Spanish police who called off their search last week. Matthew Chapman, 24, from Doncaster, vanished near the popular resort of Tossa de Mar in Catalonia. 2 Matthew's family began to feel concerned when he failed to pick up his brother-in-law to take him to work. The 24-year-old was reported missing on April 30. Matthew left the UK in a van, which has been found abandoned and empty at a viewpoint. Police and firefighters launched a two-day search involving a helicopter and drones last week before calling the operation off late on Thursday. 2
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Daily Mail
Pictured: British man, 24, who vanished while travelling Europe weeks ago - as his parents say they've had 'no contact' from Spanish police
The parents of a missing 24-year-old, Matthew Chapman, said they had 'no contact' from the Spanish police after the search was called off last week. Earlier this week police launched a two-day search near the popular resort of Tossa de Mar involving a helicopter and drones after his van was found abandoned at a viewpoint off the Mediterranean coast. The search was called off late on Thursday. His parents, Jane and Andrew Chapman reported him missing on April 30. They said they learnt about the discovery of his car from local news reports and had no contact from South Yorkshire police or local investigators. Mr Chapman had travelled to France on May 1 on the Eurotunnel and spent time in Portugal and Spain before his mobile phone signal petered out around 60 miles north of Barcelona. A spokesman for the Mossos d'Esquadra regional police force confirmed a two-day search for the missing Brit was undertaken. She added: 'It was a land, sea and air search which took place on Wednesday and Thursday. Earlier this week police launched a two-day search near the popular resort of Tossa de Mar (pictured) involving a helicopter and drones before calling it off late on Thursday 'The investigation into the missing man's whereabouts is continuing.' Officers are said to be keeping an open mind on what could have happened to Mr Chapman who according to Spanish reports had economic problems and was struggling to keep his car valet firm afloat. It not clear what Catalan police are now doing as part of their investigation. The Mossos d'Esquadra force also led the probe into rugby player and X Factor star Levi Davis' disappearance in Barcelona. The last confirmed sighting of Mr Davis was of him leaving an Irish pub in the Catalan capital on the night of October 29 2022 after taking a boat from Ibiza with just £35 in his pocket and no change of clothes. The port search and another in the Llobregat Delta, one of Catalonia's most important wetland zones near Barcelona where police said at the time sea currents could have taken his body or items of clothing, failed to yield any clues. They were organised after four members of cruise liner MSC Bellissima, which docked in Barcelona around eight hours after the pub CCTV sighting, said they had seen a man in the sea wearing the same light-coloured top as Levi and shouting for help in English. A lifebuoy was thrown to him and coastguards in Barcelona mobilised their helicopter called Helimer 203 and a vessel called Salvamar Mintaka. A boat operated by firefighters was also sent to the scene along with police and Red Cross vessels but they were stood down after it was confirmed no-one was missing from the cruise liner and police confirmed no-one had been reported missing in port waters or in the sea off Barcelona. A British tourist went missing at Alicante airport at the end of March after a stag do in Benidorm before being found. Jason Taylor, 36, vanished as he waited for a flight back to Birmingham, sparking a police manhunt which had a happy ending nearly four days later on April 1 when he was spotted walking along a nearby beach. Police sources said after he was found that the fact he didn't have his mobile phone on him had caused him extra complications. Tossa de Mar is about 60 miles north of Barcelona and the same distance south of the French border.
